String of Arson Fires Has Mich. Community Fretting

GANGES - Nine fires in two years along the same stretch of road has Ganges Township fire officials believing they're dealing with an arsonist.

The latest blazes occurred Thanksgiving morning and two days before at an unoccupied home at 1289 68th St., which was owned by Carol Carlisle of Fennville.

"(She) still had some things stored there," Ganges fire chief Doug Compton said. "There was no insurance on it. ... About half the home was burned (Nov. 20). But somebody came back and finished it off on Thanksgiving."

The incidents occurred two months after a garage burned down on the property.

Fire investigators say they are relieved no one lived at the dwelling.

The other blazes in the 1200 block of 68th Street occurred at three unoccupied homes - which also were burned twice - and two fields.

Fire investigators believe the fires are purposely set because of accelerants that were discovered and because several fires were set in dwellings that did not have electricity.

"There's a good likelihood that all of the (fires) are related," said Sgt. Scott LeRoy, an investigator with the Michigan State Police post in Paw Paw, who, on Monday, was investigating the latest blaze.

The suspected arsons have prompted the Allegan County Sheriff's Department and state police to help with the investigation. So far, they have very little to work with.

"Nobody really knows" who the suspect(s) are, Compton said.

"The neighbors in that area are concerned. Everybody has their suspicions, but you can't point fingers."

"We're concerned about it," said Richard Compton, who lives in the 1200 block of 68th Street, and is the father of the Ganges fire chief, who also lives on 68th Street. "We wonder what will happen if he (the suspect) runs out of empty homes and starts in on occupied ones. I hope they can get him, whoever he is."

Another neighbor, Edward Cosgrove, said hopes the arsonist will avoid occupied dwellings, such as his.

"So far, it doesn't bother me," Cosgrove said. "It he starts getting into homes where people are living, then I would be concerned."

Investigators know that eight of the fires started between 10 p.m. and midnight. Only the Thanksgiving Day fire started at a different time - 6:50 a.m.

"They do everything in the dark," fire chief Compton said.

The arsons occur in unoccupied dwellings or areas, and each of the three homes were set ablaze twice.

"It's like they want to burn them all the way to the ground. The only thing left is a basement," Compton said.

The Michigan Arson Prevention Committee has offered up to a $5,000 reward for information leading to the conviction of the suspected arsonist(s).

People who have information about the fires can call the Allegan County Sheriff's Department, 673-0510, or Silent Observer (269) 343-2100.

Copyright 2012 The Herald-PalladiumDistributed by Newsbank, Inc. All Rights Reserved